As you walk through your daily path to the library to get some work done you will encounter a cube-shaped monument with a plaque that reads “Authors & Architects.” If you haven’t heard anything about this structure, I highly encourage you to look at the Roanoke College website for a more extended explanation. Meanwhile, I share with you a summary of the most important details of this piece.
It was created by Sandy Williams IV with the purpose of honoring the people who were enslaved by the founders of Roanoke College during its beginnings in 1842. By looking closely, we can see names engraved which correspond to slaves that are connected to the building of Roanoke College. The title recognizes the roles these enslaved people had as founders of our college. This memorial hopes to work as a way to honor all the people who were denied freedom and education as well as to bring awareness to the significant roles they had in creating the community that we now form a part of.
To introduce the new memorial to the college an “Authors & Architects Memorial Dedication” will be held on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Join us in the front quad to be part of this significant event, learn more about the memorial itself, and be able to see it up close and read some of the names engraved. It is a good way to show your support for the artist and think more deeply about the history of the college, which you can also look more into by searching through our website.
Andrea Flores
Staff Reporter
